St. Petersburg hosts pro-Putin rallyFebruary 18, 2012 - 17:36 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Rallies in support of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who will run for president on March 4, were held in many Russian cities on Saturday, Feb 18. About 60,000 Mr. Putin’s supporters gathered by the Oktyabrskiy concert hall in St. Petersburg. They are calling on Russians to vote for Mr. Putin, as they believe that his presidency would guarantee stability and prosperity. “Russia doesn’t need new revolutions!”, they are saying. Opponents of Mr. Putin have also come to this rally, carrying slogans criticizing his policy. However, no incidents have been reported during the rally. In Saratov, a city located on the Volga River, 10,000 people gathered under the motto “A great country needs a strong leader”, referring to Mr. Putin. In the city of Smolensk, a rally in support of Mr. Putin coincided with celebrations of the 200th anniversary since Napoleon’s defeat in 1812, in which Smolensk played a big role. A slogan “Smolensk is the shield of Russia” was displayed in he city’s central square, which gathered 5,000 people, The Voice of Russia reported. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |